Combined scraper and leveler



(No Model.)

G. N. FOLSOM. COMBINED SCRAPER AND LBVBLER.

No. 563,760. Patented July 14, i896.

W/TNESSES.'

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UNITED STATES PATENT EEicEo GILMAN N. FOLSOM, OF HOYBART, NEVADA.

COMBINED SCRAPER AND LEVELER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,760, dated July 14, 1896J Application filed November 2, 1895. Serial No. 567,674. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GILMAN N. FoLsoM, of Hobart, in the county of Douglas a-nd State of Nevada, have invented a new and Improved Combined Scraper and Leveler, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to machines for scraping and leveling roads and like surfaces; and it Ahas for its object to combine a leveler and scraper in one machine, and to provide a means whereby the earth may be scraped and carried in advance of the machine to any desired point, and gradually or instantly re-` leased from the scraper and dumped for the purpose of illing in a rut in a road, for example, the leveling attachments of the inachine following immediately on the deposited dirt to level the same and pack it closely in position.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the leveling attachment that :it will automatically ride up any mound of loose earth while leveling the same, and will so pass up the mound as to cause the team the least possible amount of exertion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined scraper and leveler which will be of great service to the farmer by reason of the fact that by carrying the machine once over any ordina-ry plowed ground the machine will leave itleyel and smooth, so that it can be easily and quickly irrigated.

The machine not only serves to accomplish the above results, but also pulverizes the ground, thereby,r saving the work of using a barrow in connection with leveling and scraping. The machine may likewise be used to great advantage in building new roads and roeping old roads level and in good condition, scraping off the high places and filling up the ruts and hollows.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combina-tion of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this spe ciiication, in which similarcharacters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both views.

Figure l is a longitudinal section through the machine, taken substantially on the line l l of Fig. 2; and Fig. is a plan view of the machine.

ln carryingout the invention, the frame of the machine consists of afront transverse runner A, which is in the nature of a beam, a rear transverse and parallel runner A', two longitudinal beams B, connecting the forward and rear runners or beams, and cross-bars Z1 and J, extending from one of the longitudinal tie-beams to the other.

The under face of the forward runner or beam A is decidedly beveled in a downwardly and rearwardly direction, whereby the height of the runner at the rear is greater than its height at the front, and this beveled surface l0 is shod with a metal plate l2, and the said plate extends a predetermined distance beyond the inner or rear face of the forward runner, continuing the incline thereof 5 and the under face of the rear runner A is provided with a similar beveled surface ll, but this surface is not beveled. to such a degree as that of the forward runner; but the beveled surface of the rear runner A is shod with a metal plate 13, which extends rearwardly beyond the same, and the inclination is downwardly and rearwardly.

A scraper-blade ll is adjustably mounted upon the front 'vertical face of the forward runner or beam A. tends downward below the leveling-plate l2, attached to the runner, as shown in Fig. l, and the said plate is provided at each end with a wing l5, the wings extending forwardly and outwardly, thus bein g at an angle to the body of the blade or scraper, in order that the said wings shall hold the earth loosened or scraped by the blade in front thereof, preventing it escaping at the ends of theblade. r,l`hescraperblade is held, preferably, in Contact. with the forward runner by a suitable number of spring-clips l 6, secured ordinarily to the top of the said runner, being curved downwardly and over the blade la to an engagement with This scraper or blade exits forward face, and where each clip passes over the blade av ertical slot is made in the top portion to receive the clip, as illustrated in Fig. l, so that theblad e may be adj usted vertically without interfering with the functions of the said clips. The adjustment of the blade is accomplished through the medium of a rockshaft 17, journaled upon the forward port-ion lOO of the frame in suitable bearings, preferably placed upon the longitudinal. beams B. A crank-arm 17 is formed at each end of this rock-shaft, and the crankarms are connected in any suitable or approved manner with the upper edge of the scraper-blade 1l. The rockshaft is operated through the medium of a lever 18, attached to the shaft at a convenient point, and the said lever is preferably provided with a hand-rod 19, which is carried to within convenient lreach of the drivers seat 20, the latter being supported from thc crossbars Z1 of the frame.

Thus when itis required to gradually dump the earth from the front portion of the scraperblade, or to free the earth from the blade, it may be accomplished by raising the blade by means of the lever 1S; or by the manipulation of this lever the scraper-blade may be made to enter the ground to a greater or a less eX- tent, and when the earth is released from the front of the scraper-blade the inclined plate l2 on the forward runner will readily ascend the mound formed by the loosened earth, and gradiially,yet perfectly,level the mound; and should the leveling not be perfectly done by the front plate 12, it will be satisfactorily finished when the rear leveling-plate 13 is drawn over the surface.

It is often desirable torelease the earth from the scraper-blade 1a quickly, and this is accomplished by elevating the entire front portion of the machine; and in performing this act a wheel 21 is preferably used, located just back of the forward runner, and being of sufficient strength and size to sustain the weight of the forward portion of the machine. This wheel is journaled between horizontal arms 22, and these arms are pivotally connected with the central portion of the rear face of the forward runner A, and a yoke 23 is projected upward from the hub of the wheel over the upper peripheral surface thereof, to pivotally receive a lift-lever 24, the forward end of which lever is fiilcriiined upon a fixed support carried by the said runner A.

The lift-lever 24 is provided with a pin 25,

or the equivalent thereof, at its rear end, and

this pin is made to enter a slot 27 in a footlever 26, the lever being f ulcriinied upon the rear cross-bar b and is carried forward, its free end being within convenient reach of the opcrators foot when said operator is in the seat 20; and it is obvious that by pressing downward upon the foot-lever 2G the rear end of the lift-lever will be carried downward, and the wheel serving as a fulcrum for this lever will sustain the weight of the forward portion of the machine as this portion is lifted, owing to the upward movement of the forward end of the lift-lever.

By setting the blade or knife, as it may be called, higher or lower more or less work is performed, and when the blade is raised the bevel or slope of the runners will allow the machine to slide up over the load, gradually leaving the load wherever desired, the

:forward runner smoothing the load and 'he .rear runner continuing the smoothing operation; and since the inclination of the rear runner is less than that of the forward iiiiiner, the rear runner rises slowly over 'ne load and distributes it evenly, and the said slope of the rear runner likewise prevenis it from doing any scraping or digging or' he dirt ahead of it and leaving it where it not wanted. Under all circumstances the blade. together with the inclined surface of the riinner A, regulates perfectly the cutting oil `if the high places, which can be done more or less as the blade is lowered, and the load may be deposited in any desired quantity by raising or lowering the blade to a greater or ess extent. lf it is desired to leave the load in the top of a knoll, as in road-building, or if the machine is working in rough, sronv ground, then the front of the machine is eicvated andis supported bythe wheel 2l, which allows it to pass over obstructions.

lVith reference to the merits of this inacliine, it will place land in perfect shape for irrigating, will fill up all the bed-furrows in a field, and will practically make said field as smooth as a lawn. The machine will fill up the ruts and hollows in roads and will leave them smooth and even and will save plowing in mendin g or making roads where the ground is soft or sandy, and it will frequently iiispense with the use of a harrow in working a iield.

Having thus described my invention. i claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A scraper and leveler, the saine consist ing of a'fraine having a forward and a rear transverse runner, the under surfaces of which are inclined, and a scraper-blade adju stably mounted on the forward runner in front of the highest point of its lower incli ned surface, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a scraper and leveler, a forward and a rear connected transverse runner` nacli runner having its under face beveled downwardly and rearwardly from the front, and a scraper-blade adjustably mounted upon ne front portion of the forward runner, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a scraper and leveler, a forward and a rear transverse runner, and a connection between the two, substantially as described` each runner being provided with an inclined bottom surface, the inclination being` from the front downwardly and rearwardly. the said inclined surfaces being shod with metal plates extending beyond the rear faces oi' the runners, and a scraper-blade located in front of the forward runner, the ends or' he scraperblade being forwardly projected at an angle to the body, as and for the purpose set forth.

+L. In a scraper and leveler, a forward and a rear transverse runner, a connection ietween the two, the under faces of the said runners being beveled downwardly and rear- IOO wheel connected with the rear portion of the forward runner near its center, a lift-lever fulerumed at one end upon the said forward runner and intermediate of its ends upon a support carried by the Wheel, and a manipulating-lever operating` the said lift-lever, as speeied.

GILMAN N. FOLSOM.

Witnesses F. G. FoLsoM, E. B. FoLsoM. 

